It's an issue of aesthetics. Aesthetics are easy to dismiss if you don't appreciate them. But if you really want to know, these ideas come from classic table top role playing games, it makes choices matter, it makes replaying different scenarios more interesting when you choose something else, and it's got to do with lore, which is more than just made up information, it's atmosphere. And atmosphere is very important in gaming if you're wanting to do something more than play chess or tetris. It promotes the sense you have of creating your own alter ego or fantasy identity when you're doing it with other people at the same time who are also creating their own imaginary identities.

Choices need to feel like they matter to you, and you need to feel like you have choices.

Why have classes at all? Why not let us all have all the same abilities together?

And regarding your specific examples, originally the shaman were a Horde only class and paladins were Alliance only class. Rather than just "one day everyone woke up and decided to be ___" they want to introduce new class/race combos with lore and story behind it.

Personally, I feel like they're already sliding a little too far. When everyone is identical, things get boring. Races have lost a lot of their unique flavor already.

"There is good and evil in this world; we must find the black and white in the gray."

It's a role playing game. The lore has to make some kind of sense, or it breaks your suspension of disbelief too much. I actually think they've stretched the race/class combo rules too far already. If Pandaren Death Knights or something started walking around everywhere, it would just be ridiculous.

Because, and while it isn't so much anymore, it was a role playing game in some form when it was released. Lore was (and still is kinda) important. It would make little sense for a forsaken to become a paladin or an orc druid.

Because, and while it isn't so much anymore, it was a role playing game in some form when it was released. Lore was (and still is kinda) important. It would make little sense for a forsaken to become a paladin or an orc druid.

Excuse me, but why are Undead able to become priests? They've warriors already, and a paladin is "just" a warrior enchancing his attacks with holy light. Orcs are heavily tied to their ancestors and nature, allowing them to become shaman - so why not a druid?

Also, Goblins dont respect the elements... they bend them to their will using the mechanical totems.

Classes like warrior, rogue, hunter and monk are about "pick that weapon up and train", same with warlocks and mages - but more in the direction of studying the field. Whereas paladins, priests, druids and shaman are about the character beliefing in something and getting gifted. You can raise a DK out of any race. HELL, there are even lore characters with multiple classes... and other changing from one class to a different.

Going further into the direction, the original idea of getting a DK in early WotLK alpha/beta was that you turn your level 80 Paladin after a questline into a DK, like the first trailer proves.

When there are Night Elf mages, then I'm pretty sure the lore has already been stretched and worn down past the point of no return.

Truthfully, Blizzard is probably just saving the remaining non-playable class/race combs as a new feature for future expansions.

That's just the worst example you could come up with. Either you are ignorant of the lore, or you're just determined to be unreasonable about it.

---------- Post added 2012-10-09 at 07:32 PM ----------

Originally Posted by holz

You know that the Highborne were banished after the sundering NEVER TO RETURN right?

So what? There are tons of highborne night elves in Elde'thalas that are magi. They were banished ten thousand years ago. The story is allowed to progress.

If that is somehow breaking the lore for you, then Warcraft 3 should have you turning in your grave for the way it's developments changed pre established racial norms.
Something like the Cataclysm is going to change the world, and the Alliance had about 10 years of history of working with the Highborne of Eldrethalas by the time Deathwing came around.

You're just being stubborn and making it seem like certain races can only think in certain ways. Night Elf mages make actual sense, lore is not written in stone as if the world does not develop. There was plenty of development behind the class, it almost sparked a civil war with Maive Shadowsong leading a rebellion.

It's amazing the double standard people have for Warcraft 3 compared to WOW, but perhaps you feel orcs should only be fel crazed invaders from Outland still.

---------- Post added 2012-10-09 at 07:34 PM ----------

Originally Posted by holz

You're absolutely right.

"Hey the world just almost got destroyed, remember the last time this happened? It was the Highborne's fault, we should totally allow them back now."

So I guess you don't trust Germans after what happened only 60 years ago. EDIT lol I just noticed your location is in Germany, I would think you would maybe understand not judging a race by something their ancestors took part in. Azshara was the villain there, her highborne were manipulated, drugged, or just decadent. I mean ancient Rome was only 2000 years ago compared to 10,000 years, maybe Italy should pay reparations to the former nations of Gaul?

And btw, there would be combinations that wouldn't make any sense.
- Undead druids? Spacegoat druids? Were-panda that shapeshif into bear form? Even worgen druids' lore and sense are quite weak.
- Tauren Warlocks? I would love to play one, tbh, but that would make a total nonsense.
- Worgen, Night elves or Undead Shamans?
- Gnome + any class? That would be totally wrong... oh wait.
- Dwarf Warlocks and mages are quite weird.

If they were to add new combos they would probably just use druid as it's the class with less races combinations, Human or Dwarf for alliance I guess and Blood Elves for Horde. They just went too far with some of the combinations added in Cataclysm, others fit really well, like the trolls ones. And, in my opinion, Tauren Priests are a lot more awkward than Tauren Paladins, a nature loving race having a dark corrupted side that likes to cause pain and dominate minds (Shadow Priests) is just... just NO.

Gee, even most of the Monk combinations are a mess... seriously, Ox stance, Tiger Palm, Spinning Fire Blossom or Renewing Mists are spells that don't fit at all Gnomes, Undead, Aliens or Orcs...

There is such thing as progressing lore without being inconsistent with it's evolution, and I'm not sure where what you're arguing since neither of us are protesting wow's evolution of the lore, only that it's being done very badly. The Night elves accepting a group and a society that NOT ONLY treated them like second class citizens pre-WOTA, but also nearly caused a global apocalypse due to their reckless practice with the arcane, is inconsistent. No other race on Azeroth has a bigger vendetta against both the Highborne AND the mage class, than the Night Elves.

Oh, and considering the Highborne and the Night elves were both immortal up until just recently. Then yeah, I wouldn't trust the same generation and nation that fostered people like Hitler, Caligula, and Azshara.

So what? There are tons of highborne night elves in Elde'thalas that are magi. They were banished ten thousand years ago. The story is allowed to progress.

If that is somehow breaking the lore for you, then Warcraft 3 should have you turning in your grave for the way it's developments changed pre established racial norms.
Something like the Cataclysm is going to change the world, and the Alliance had about 10 years of history of working with the Highborne of Eldrethalas by the time Deathwing came around.

You're just being stubborn and making it seem like certain races can only think in certain ways. Night Elf mages make actual sense, lore is not written in stone as if the world does not develop. There was plenty of development behind the class, it almost sparked a civil war with Maive Shadowsong leading a rebellion.

It's amazing the double standard people have for Warcraft 3 compared to WOW, but perhaps you feel orcs should only be fel crazed invaders from Outland still.

Yeah, honestly the Night Elf Mages were probably one of the more justified of the new combos. The Night Elves had been working alongside Mages since WC3 without major incident, and it isn't like there's no precedent for a non-mainstream class options. I'm sure Tyrande is keeping the Highbourne on a far tighter leash then they were allowed under Azshara of course.

Others like Tauren Paladins or Orc Mages basically came out of nowhere. Tauren Paladins needed a whole new branch of Tauren spirituality created just for them, and while there was nothing preventing Orc Mages from existing, there was also nothing indicating they had to exist.

---------- Post added 2012-10-10 at 01:16 AM ----------

Originally Posted by Pud'n

There is such thing as progressing lore without being inconsistent with it's evolution, and I'm not sure where what you're arguing since neither of us are protesting wow's evolution of the lore, only that it's being done very badly. The Night elves accepting a group and a society that NOT ONLY treated them like second class citizens pre-WOTA, but also nearly caused a global apocalypse due to their reckless practice with the arcane, is inconsistent. No other race on Azeroth has a bigger vendetta against both the Highborne AND the mage class, than the Night Elves.

Oh, and considering the Highborne and the Night elves were both immortal up until just recently. Then yeah, I wouldn't trust the same generation and nation that fostered people like Hitler and Caligula.

So why didn't the Night Elves refuse to work with Mages from other races? Once they've worked with Human, Gnomish, and later Draenei Mages for a good half-decade without any real problems, it's not really a big leap for them to reconsider their policy when it came to their own people. If Humans (or anyone aside from the Forsaken and Blood Elves) can tolerate Warlocks, I'm sure Night Elves can tolerate Mages.

Roleplaying, hardcore Raiding, running LFR on the occasional weekend, PvPing, rolling alts, achievement hunting, pet battling, or just enacting an endless series of whims, I don't care how you play WoW. Just as long as you have fun doing it.